AIS Display Units

T

tarik

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 Mar 2004
Messages
725
Location
Broadstairs Kent
Visit site
Evening all,

I have got an AIS engine with the aerial attached high up on the mizzen mast. It was my intention to connect it to my laptop, via the NASA software. However I have now decided that I would like a dedicated display unit. Can I simply buy a display unit and connect it up? Is there anything else I need to know?


Thanks for any replies


David
 
Unless I am unaware of some new hardware....NO. You need to connect it either to a chartplotter of some type, or to a PC/Tablet type device running some suitable software. A very basic old/cheap laptop would suffice. Or sell the engine and buy the stand-alone NASA if that sort of display is all you want.
 
tarik said:
Evening all,

I have got an AIS engine with the aerial attached high up on the mizzen mast. It was my intention to connect it to my laptop, via the NASA software. However I have now decided that I would like a dedicated display unit. Can I simply buy a display unit and connect it up? Is there anything else I need to know?


Thanks for any replies


David
Click to expand...
If you can spare the cash, go for a Vesper. It's a dedicated AIS display unit, with loads of good functions including intelligent filtering. And bear in mind that almost all the complaints about AIS come from people who are trying to display every contact in range on an unsuitable or under-sized display.
 
timbartlett said:
If you can spare the cash, go for a Vesper. It's a dedicated AIS display unit, with loads of good functions including intelligent filtering. And bear in mind that almost all the complaints about AIS come from people who are trying to display every contact in range on an unsuitable or under-sized display.
Click to expand...

+1
I was very happy with mine.
 
AIS

Sandyman said:
Slightly off topic, but can someone tell me why they call it an ''Engine'' ???
Click to expand...

Definition of ENGINE

a : something used to effect a purpose : agent, instrument <mournful and terrible engine of horror and of crime — E. A. Poe>
b : something that produces a particular and usually desirable result <engines of economic growth>
 
affinite said:
Piers
Why would you buy that rather than the NASA "AIS Radar" (inc receiver) ?

Steve (ex CC ;) )
Click to expand...

NASA AIS is a receiver only; Vesper also transmits.

The functionality of the Vesper is much higher. Some examples of what you can do:
- filtering - choose when your alarm sounds, based on range (e.g. alarm sounds if target is within 5 miles), CPA (e.g. alarm sounds if target will have a CPA of less than 1 mile)
- information - Vesper will show you ship name, MMSI, call sign, type of vessel, speed, heading, rate of turn etc. Even destination (assuming the ship is transmitting all that info)
- CPA info - if you select a target, you can see all the information about CPA e.g. time to CPA, distance at CPA, and orientation at CPA

It is an absolutely fantastic piece of standalone kit. Only reservations I have about it are the strength of the screen (it doesn't seem as robust as some other electronic equipment, so might be damaged in the rough and tumble of a cockpit if it is placed where it is likely to have a knee pressed against it), and watertightness (mine was showing some signs of slight humidity inside after a year, but the unit had seen some pretty harsh conditions that had made another piece of electronic kit fail due to water ingress).
 
bbg said:
NASA AIS is a receiver only; Vesper also transmits.

The functionality of the Vesper is much higher. Some examples of what you can do:
- filtering - choose when your alarm sounds, based on range (e.g. alarm sounds if target is within 5 miles), CPA (e.g. alarm sounds if target will have a CPA of less than 1 mile)
- information - Vesper will show you ship name, MMSI, call sign, type of vessel, speed, heading, rate of turn etc. Even destination (assuming the ship is transmitting all that info)
- CPA info - if you select a target, you can see all the information about CPA e.g. time to CPA, distance at CPA, and orientation at CPA

It is an absolutely fantastic piece of standalone kit. Only reservations I have about it are the strength of the screen (it doesn't seem as robust as some other electronic equipment, so might be damaged in the rough and tumble of a cockpit if it is placed where it is likely to have a knee pressed against it), and watertightness (mine was showing some signs of slight humidity inside after a year, but the unit had seen some pretty harsh conditions that had made another piece of electronic kit fail due to water ingress).
Click to expand...

Just to clarify: Vesper make several different models, including:
- a display-only,
- a receive-and-display
and
- a receive-transmit-and-display

The Nasa "radar" (silly name!) is a great product for the price.
The Vesper range are better but cost a lot more. The main thing IMHO that makes them better is the amount of information they can display, the, range of options for displaying it and (particularly) the "intelligent" filtering.

For instance: people complain about boat on moorings and in marinas cluttering their screens. Not on a Vesper, where you have the option of filtering out stationary targets.
 
timbartlett said:
The Vesper range are better but cost a lot more. The main thing IMHO that makes them better is the amount of information they can display, the, range of options for displaying it and (particularly) the "intelligent" filtering.

For instance: people complain about boat on moorings and in marinas cluttering their screens. Not on a Vesper, where you have the option of filtering out stationary targets.
Click to expand...

The winner for me would be the predicted CPA situation diagram. Crossing 100m astern of a container ship is fine, crossing 100m ahead of it is most certainly not. Most plotters only seem to say "you'll be 100m away", no hint in what direction. The only time I've used AIS in anger so far, I was amazed at the lack of this vital piece of information. Vesper draw you a picture of where you and the ship will be at CPA.

Pete
 
affinite said:
Piers
Why would you buy that rather than the NASA "AIS Radar" (inc receiver) ?

Steve (ex CC ;) )
Click to expand...

hi Steve

Well, the OP asked for a display only as he changed his mind about using a laptop etc. Vesper do (amongst their other products) an AIS display without the engine.

Off topic, I am looking at a class b transponder and thinking about the Icom TR500 to interface with my Icom 505 (expensive and mixed reviews) or the Vesper Transponder (well reviewed, better CPA and filtering). Still dithering. Any thoughts welcome

piers
 
Can you get Watchmate level functionality in a PC app ?

Interesting thread - I didnt know about the Vesper units and they look pretty good. Does anyone know if the sort of enhanced functionality of the Watchmate can be found in any Windows PC applications ?

I take the point about the way the Vesper units present the AIS data but Im really only interested in seeing AIS data when my PC chart plotter is switched on and, unlike the OP, I dont see the need for a dedicated display

so couldnt I
a) run an inexpensive AIS engine like the NASA box
b) have it overlay AIS data to OpenCpn
c) also have an AIS app running in a separate Window that has the functionality of the Vesper unit should I wish to either just watch AIS targets or look in more detail at a specific target.

Steve

Edit - just looked again at the OpenCpn AIS overlay functionality - I think that will do for me
(Cancel my last transmission :) )
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

F
Emtrak AIS transponder configured and working, not showing my position in Navionics unless
Replies
5
Views
304
FairweatherDave
F
Y
Vespermarine XB-6000 AIS transponder
2
Replies
24
Views
496
PaulRainbow
PaulRainbow

Share this page

Top